Family Therapy with Adolescent Drug Abusers: A Review

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present a brief review of literature concerning the current status of family therapy in the treatment of drug abusing adolescents. The method of approach was to survey and summarize findings and statements found in the literature. The paper includes six topical areas: Why Treat the Family, Family Life of the Abuser, Approaches to Treatment, The Treatment Process, Treatment Goals, and The Treatment Program. A brief concluding statement is included expressing the need for a systematic approach to therapy. Drug abuse is currently destroying the lives of many of America's youth. Several different treatment facilities for abusers have been established, few with an acceptable level of success. The present author will review one integral part of many programs; treatment of the abuser's family.

The evolution of an integrative family therapy for substance-abusing adolescents: Toward the mutual enhancement of research and practice.

“…Although reporting no empirical data, the reviews of Baither (1978) and Rueger and Lieberman (1984) also emphasize the potential of family therapy for substance-abusing adolescents. Similarly, Stanton (1979c) compared the treatment modalities and results of 68 studies of family interventions for substance abuse and reported that, although many methodological weaknesses exist, family treatment "shows great promise as a way of conceptualizing and intervening toward positive change" (p. 268).…”

The Age of Accountability:* The Next Phase for Family Therapy

“…Family therapy has also been used with adolescents (Bruggen and Graham, 1977;Schimel, 1979) involving drug abuse (Baither, 1978), juvenile offending (Robinson, 1978), anorexia nervosa (Caille, Abrahamsen, Girolami, and Sorbye, 1977;Minuchin, Rosman and Baker, 1978) and those labelled psychiatrically disturbed such as psychiatric inpatients (Reiss, Costell, Jones, and Berkman, 1980) and borderline adolescents (Zinner, 1978), those exhibiting bizarre behaviours (Scheiner and Musette, 1979), and even for adolescents with extreme itching (Lantz, 1979).…”